I kept doing the same thing.
Open X for “one minute.”
Break flow.
Come back 20 minutes later.
Context gone.
So I stopped trying to rely on discipline and built enforcement.
Monk Mode for Mac is a system-level focus tool that blocks specific apps/websites during a focus session. Not hide. Not remind. Block.
If you choose to enter a session:
• Selected apps/websites are force-terminated
• Relaunch attempts get shut down
• Distraction becomes friction
The goal is not motivation. It’s environment control.
What surprised me while building it:
macOS does not make real blocking easy.
Handling process relaunch behavior and edge cases took more effort than the UI itself.
I also started adding lightweight structure around focus instead of turning it into a dopamine game.
Current features:
• App-level blocking during sessions
• Day progress indicator at the top so you can see how much of your day is left
• A clean daily to-do list that resets automatically every day
• Minimal UI, zero gamification
Upcoming features are focused on making this a complete deep work environment, not just a blocker.
No subscriptions.
It’s $15 lifetime.
For dev.to readers, use code DEV and it’s $10 lifetime.
Live here:
mac.monk-mode.lifestyle
If you build software for a living, your attention is your leverage.
I built this because I was leaking mine.
Curious how other devs enforce deep work. Do you rely on willpower, or do you control your environment?
Top comments (4)
I’m also debating how far to take this.
Right now it blocks apps, tracks day progress, and has a clean daily reset to-do system. But I don’t want it to turn into another bloated productivity dashboard.
For devs here: would you prefer something minimal and strict, or more integrated and feature-rich?
I think if the very reason the application exists is to stop distraction, loading it up with bells and whistles is actively detracting from the use case. It will just annoy your current users while watering down your sales pitch.
Fair point. The core is website blocking during focus sessions, and that won’t change. Any additions are meant to reinforce focus (like the day progress bar), not turn it into a bloated productivity suite. If something adds noise, it doesn’t ship.
I mean I get what you're saying, and I'm using my business hat not my dev hat, but to my ADHD ass, there is no difference.
Is it a thing for me to check? Is it a thing I can click? Does it have a UI element or some settings?
"Ooh look, I'm 17 days in. I wonder is it per 28 days or per 31 it per calendar month?" and now I'm browsing your app's settings menu and your site's faq and whatnot.
That's introducing distractions not eliminating them.
Since no one else has replied to you, I will put my customer hat on and tell you why I wouldn't buy it; "I'm on the internet all day. You cannot stop distraction. You're trying to empty a lake with an egg cup".
Cool product for you if it helps you, but it would not help me and probably most other devs. Your audience is not devs.